Family, Take 2
by T'Poptarts
Summary: Trip/T'Pol. A very tired couple, and a letter to Trip's remaining family on Earth. Takes place in the near future, post 3rd and 4th seasons, probably post 5th season too… well, future.


**Family, Take 2**

By: T'Poptarts  
Disclaimer: Paramount  
Spoilers: "E2"

A/N: You know what they say, "a picture's worth a thousand words". This story is a little "picture & 1000 words" challenge I made up for myself. The picture is here, since FFN doesn't allow embedded illustrations (and it's anal about posting urls too, so you'd have to copy this url to the address bar and delete the spaces. My apologies):

i46. photobucket. com/ albums/ f148/ tpoptarts/ tpolandbaby.jpg

(I'm sorry, it's just that the picture makes half of this story.)

According to the word counter this story has exactly 1,000 words. The sequels and prequels for it are still mainly in my head and not written down yet. I wrote this right after watching "E2" (the first Enterprise episode I've ever watched) so, blah. Oh and please forgive my horrendous computer art. Anyway, a picture and 1,000 words start now…

* * *

"Computer, begin recording.

"Hi everybody. How's it goin'.

"Been a while, huh? Stuff around here's been kinda busy, as you can see. Well, this photo's not exactly the best example for 'busy', but you know what I mean.

"The woman, that's T'Pol. Well, y'know T'Pol. Ya met her. The bundle, now, that's, that's new. Name's Lorian. She named him in her sleep, and I sure can't argue."

_That's where the 'Charlie' lineage ends. No son of mine's gon' walk 'round with a nickname like 'Quadrup'!_

"Uh, there's a long story 'bout that name-- guess I've never told you 'bout that particular adventure in the expanse, but you prob'ly wouldn't believe me if I did. I'll save it for another letter. Now Lorian, he's perfect. He weighs 2.670 kilograms, and he'll be 16 hours old by the time I finish this letter.

"Just look at this tiny little pointy ear… wish I could show you a picture of his face. Most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen. Well, barely seen, 'cause T'Pol's practically been clingin' ta him like this since yesterday."

_And boy, does she cling to that baby as if her life depends on it._

"Well, Lorian's doin' great. T'Pol, she's exhausted. Sleepin' all the time. I mean, who can blame her? It wasn't exactly easy. And she's stronger than me. Guess everyone's got their limits. Technically, they're still s'posed ta be in observation, but Dr. Phlox said it was okay to move them back to our quarters a couple o' hours ago-- let her sleep in her own bed, y'know. It's not like we're goin' anywhere.

"So she's basically been sleepin' since Phlox put Lorian in her arms. 'Cept when she feeds him, but even **then** she can't get up. She can barely move. It's tearing me apart, watching her strain herself like this."

_And like every good stubborn Vulcan, she won't let __**me**__ help._

"She didn't even get to see him. Closed her eyes 'bout halfway through labor, and just hasn't opened 'em yet.

"So you prob'ly guessed I'm in charge of the diapers. She's too weak. But she's gon' be fine. She's gettin' better. Up till a few hours ago, she was so out of it, she couldn't even talk. I'd say, maybe even unconscious for a couple o' minutes there. Well, she still looks passed out on who knows how many shots of Andorian Ale, but at least her head's less fuzzy.

"Me, haven't done much in the past 16 hours. Changin' diapers, like I said, but other than that, just watchin' them. Correction, unable to take my eyes off'a them. Just look how peaceful they are."

"It's hardly peaceful when you're speaking so loudly."

"Party pooper."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Nothing. Computer, resume recording."

"You haven't paused it."

"Aww, gim'me a break. I'm too tired to know what I did and what I didn't. Last time I slept was almost four days ago."

_Wow, and this makes my stay off engineering… a world record._

"This is not an excuse to disturb my sleep."

"Well since you don't do anythin' else I can disturb I don't really have much of a choice, do I?"

_Gotta say, that raised eyebrow looks kinda weird with her eyes shut._

Sigh.

"Kiddin', T'Pol… go back to sleep. Computer-- uh, never mind.

"Anyway, where was I. See the picture, these two've been stuck to each other with superglue since Lorian was born. They're… connected, or somethin'. Telepathically. Take him away, she cries. 16 hours that she's been sleepin' with the baby cuddled in her arms like a kid and her Teddy bear. And countin'. First in sickbay, now here. Makes me wonder why I spent so much time buildin' him a crib."

_Though I'd prob'ly have to move into it myself if the kid keeps sleepin' in my bed for the rest of his life._

Pause.

_I knew I shoulda made it bigger._

Sigh.

"And on top of all, they're right in the middle of the bed, so there's no room for me. I mean, with all due respect to Mrs. Royal Vulcan and li'l prince Lorian over there, if **Trip** doesn't get some sleep **right now**, then Trip's brain's gon' melt and drip out of his nose. But try tellin' **them** to scoot over. Man, I'm tired.

"Ah, who am I kiddin'. I can't sleep. And y'know I didn't really mean that, I'm just bi-"

_**Kid alert!!**_

"--Rantin' 'cause I'm tired. Wouldn't mind a neuro-pressure session right about now.

"Wow. That's it. We have a son. A beautiful, healthy son with blue eyes and pointy ears. It's still weird, gettin' used to it. You'd think after expecting and preparing for so long we'd be ready for it, but when it finally happened, it hit us right in the face. And I've got that silly smile that won't go away.

"Well, that's pretty much all I can tell 'bout Lorian, 'cause right now, T'Pol's bein' really possessive… Maybe I'll get to see more of him next time he wakes up hungry. Or if T'Pol decides to act, what does she call it, **logically**, and let go of him for a minute or two…"

_Was that a smirk??_

"Do it again! For the camera."

"Do what?"

"Smile."

"No."

"Aww, c'mon… please?"

"No."

"You're no fun."

"I'll take it as a compliment."

Sigh.

"Some day, T'Pol… some day, I'll sneak up on ya, and show the whole world your pretty Vulcan smile.

"Um, anyway, over all, we're tired, but happy-- yeah, T'Pol's happy too, in her own, logical, 'showing-emotions-is-for-other-people' kinda way. Even if she's a bit camera-shy. We owe everything to Dr. Phlox, for makin' it possible… for makin' it happen."

Pause.

"I just wish Lizzie was around to see her nephew."

Pause.

"Well, I hope we'd get a shore leave soon, so you could see the back of Lorian's head for yourselves. Maybe even catch a glimpse of the tip of his ear. Take care, and see y'all soon.

"Computer, end recording."


End file.
